Finding a new way: Orienteering can train the brain and help combat cognitive decline
The sport of orienteering, which relies on athleticism, navigation skills and memory, could be useful as an intervention or preventive measure to combat cognitive decline related to dementia, according to new research from McMaster University.
Researchers hypothesized that the physical and cognitive demands of orienteering, which integrates exercise and navigation, may stimulate parts of the brain that our ancient ancestors used for hunting and gathering. The brain evolved thousands of years ago to adapt to the harsh environment by creating new neural pathways.
Those same brain functions are no longer as necessary for survival today due to modern conveniences like GPS apps and readily available food. Researchers suggest it’s a matter of ‘use it or lose it’.
“Modern life may lack the specific cognitive and physical challenges the brain needs to thrive,” said Jennifer Heisz, Canada Research Chair in Brain Health and Aging at McMaster University, who oversaw the study. “In the absence of active navigation, we risk losing that neural architecture.”
Heisz points to Alzheimer’s disease, where the loss of the ability to find one’s way is one of the earliest symptoms, affecting half of all affected individuals, even in the mildest stages of the disease.
In the study, published today in the journal PLoS ONEresearchers examined healthy adults, ranging in age from 18 to 87 years, with varying levels of orienteering expertise (none, intermediate, advanced and elite).
People who participate in orienteering reported better spatial navigation and memory, suggesting that adding elements of wayfinding to regular training could be beneficial across the lifespan.
“When it comes to brain training, the physical and cognitive demands of orienteering have the potential to give you more bang for your buck compared to training alone,” said lead author Emma Waddington, a graduate student in the Department of Kinesiology who designed the study. and is a coach and member of the national orienteering team.
The goal of orienteering is to navigate by running as quickly as possible over unknown terrain and finding a series of checkpoints using only a map and compass. The most skilled athletes must switch efficiently between different mental tasks, making quick decisions while moving around the terrain at a fast pace.
The sport is unique in that it requires active navigation while making rapid transitions between parts of the brain that process spatial information in different ways. For example, reading a map relies on a third-person perspective of the environment. Orienteers must quickly translate that information in relation to their own position in the environment, in real time, as they navigate the course.
It’s a skill GPS systems have taken from modern life, researchers say. This can affect not only our ability to navigate, but also our spatial processing and memory in general, because these cognitive functions depend on overlapping neural structures.
Researchers suggest there are two simple ways to integrate more orienteering into everyday life: turn off the GPS and use a map to find your way while traveling and challenge yourself – spatially – by using a new route for your run -, walking or cycling tour.
“Orienteering is a sport for life. You often see participants between the ages of 6 and 86 participating in orienteering,” says Waddington. “My long-term involvement in this sport has allowed me to understand the process behind learning navigation skills and has inspired me to explore the uniqueness of orienteering and the scientific significance this sport can have for an aging population,” says Waddington.
